Bicycle wheel suspension, driving and braking assembly

Abstract

Bicycle wheels are mounted on single suspension struts, each having an axle secured horizontally. Adjacent to the strut is an independently rotatable assembly. For the rear wheel, the assembly includes an overrunning clutch having its outer driven portion, which bears a brake disc, splined into the inner surface of the wheel hub, and its inner driving ratchet operably coupled to a drive sprocket. For the front wheel, an identical wheel hub is splined into the outer surface of a rotatable assembly which bears a brake disc.

I claim: 
     
       1. For bicycles and the like, a driving wheel assembly comprising an asymmetric suspension strut,   a rigid axle mounted horizontally on the lower end of said strut and having thereon a. a rotatable driving and braking assembly mounted adjacent to said strut and including     bearing means,   an overrunning clutch having   an inner driving ratchet mounted on said bearing means and having a drive sprocket extending radially from that end of the inner driving ratchet adjacent to such strut, said overrunning clutch further having   an outer driven portion mounted on said driving ratchet adjacent to said sprocket at its side opposite to said strut, and having a brake disc extending radially outward therefrom, said axle further having thereon b. wheel bearing means outward of said driving and braking assembly,   c. a wheel having a hollow hub mounted on said wheel bearing means, and   d. fastener means removably mounted at the outward end of the wheel to secure the wheel hub pressed toward said rotatable assembly and said strut,   e. the said outer driven portion of said overrunning clutch and the wheel hub portion adjacent thereto together having axially releasable means for interengagement thereof when the wheel is so pressed toward the strut, in combination with   f. caliper means positioned on said strut to engage opposite sides of said brake disc,     whereby when the wheel is so pressed it is subject to braking, and when said fastener means is removed the wheel may be removed and replaced axially without interference with the caliper means or said rotatable driving and braking assembly.   
     
     
       2. A bicycle having interchanbeable front and rear wheels which are easily removed and replaced axially, comprising front and rear asymetric suspension struts,   front and rear rigid axles mounted on the lower ends of said struts,   said rear axle having a rotatable driving and braking assembly mounted thereon in a position located axially between said wheel hub and said strut, including   bearing means,   an overrunning clutch having an inner driving ratchet mounted on said bearing means and having an outer driven portion mounted on said inner driving ratchet, said rotatable driving and braking assembly further including   a drive sprocket mounted on said inner driving ratchet and positioned adjacent to said strut, and   a brake disc mounted on said outer driven portion at that side of the drive sprocket outward from said strut,   said front axle having a rotatable braking assembly mounted thereon in a position located axially between said wheel hub and said strut, including   bearing means and   a brake hub mounted rotatably on said bearing means and having a brake disc,   each said strut having caliper means borne thereby to grasp and release said brake disc mounted outward from said strut, such bicycle further having   substantially identical wheels mounted on said rear and front axles, each having a hollow hub mounted rotatably on wheel bearing means on said axles, there being   fastener means removably mounted at the outward end of the wheel to press the hub of the wheel thereon toward said strut,   said front brake hub and said outer driven portion of said overrunning clutch each having, together with said wheel hubs, torque transmitting means to engage the wheel hub when the wheel is so pressed toward the strut and to disengage when said fastener means is removed,   whereby like wheels may be interchangeably used on said front and rear axles and changed without interference with the caliper means.